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Drake Sykes ’17 Returns as Prairie Fire Assistant Baseball Coach
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During Knox College's 2024 Commencement weekend, 47 students were inducted into various honor societies, with a special ceremony held to honor those joining Phi Beta Kappa, the nation's oldest and most prestigious honor society.
This year's event, held on June 8, 2024, marked the 107th annual Phi Beta Kappa initiation ceremony at Knox. The ceremony was led by Associate Professor of Political Science Katie Stewart and Associate Professor of Classics Mitchell Parks.
The event adhered to several long-standing traditions, including a recounting of the society's history by Parks, while emphasizing the honor and significance of induction. Each initiate was called individually to receive their certificate, learn the society's secret handshake, and sign the chapter’s membership journal.
“It’s nice to be recognized and be inducted into a group of like-minded people,” Alexander Allen ’24 said. “It’s nice to wrap up the journey after a long four years.”
“It feels prestigious,” Julia Darter ’24 said. “I’m being recognized for the work that I put in to do well in college. I appreciate that recognition.”
Associate Dean and Director of Intercultural Life Tianna Cervantez ’06 was chosen as this year’s alumni nominee for Phi Beta Kappa. As a first-generation student, Cervantez felt she wasn’t fully aware of the significance of the society while attending college. Now, she says the nomination means even more looking back at her journey. “It’s nice to know that the work that I’ve done here for the last 15 years has been appreciated,” she said.
Knox's Phi Beta Kappa chapter is the fourth oldest in Illinois, and the first at an exclusively undergraduate four-year liberal arts college in the state. Many notable figures are among the ranks of Phi Beta Kappa members, including 17 U.S. Presidents, 39 U.S. Supreme Court Justices, and 136 Nobel laureates.
Here is the full list of the 2024 honor society inductees:
Class of 2025 Phi Beta Kappa Initiates
Hannah L. Tannas
Class of 2024 Initiates (*Elected as a junior)
Alexander Patrick Allen
Sarah A. Borchert
Destini A. Boswell
Andie Kristianna Corsino
Autumn Estes Crow
Julia Grace Darter
Claire Meier Dietz*
Rachel Meier Dietz
Cadence Irene Eischens
Casey Blu Foubert
Sahana V. Giri
Marin Hart*
Tove J. Himango
Samuel James Naftzger
Archi Nokrek
Luna Solange Perkins
Kaitlyn Nicole Pierce
Hieu Uyen Quach
Alexis Taylor Riggs*
Amira Liaan Siddique
Kasey Elaine Snyder
Garrett Raiden Sprinkle
Stacie Amelia Strombom,
Mercedes Lea Swinney
Amelia Wirth
Sage Yoerger*
Alumni Phi Beta Kappa Initiates
Tianna Cervantez '06
Psi Chi - National Honor Society in Psychology
Chanice Dudley
Daeun Kim
Evan Morris
Samhita Gopal Rao
Nu Rho Psi - National Honors Society in Neuroscience
Sarah Hoffmann-Weitsman
Amira Liaan Siddique
Zuzanna Zofia Wrobel
Pi Sigma Alpha - National Political Science Honor Society
Rand B. Al Baka
Alexander Williamson Baackes
Emma Elizabeth Curry
Harini Gunasekaran
Reagan Grey Keeney
Ashlynn Rayme Lenertz
Kasey Elaine Snyder
Brianna Virginia Arizmendi
Olivia Clark Dunn
Sigma Xi -The Scientific Research Society
Sahana Giri
Sarah Hoffmann-Weitsman
Charlie J. Horvath
Seth Kosanovich
Published on June 12, 2024
-Mitch Prentice ’17, Office of Communications Lead Writer/Editor